Curriculum and Instruction » Gifted and Talented

Gifted and Talented

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Kristin Mattaliano
Supervisor of Gifted and Talented
[email protected]
201-915-6297
 

Clerk l Jessica Alicea-Ortiz l [email protected] l 201-915-3499

Department Overview
 
The Gifted and Talented Program offers specialized services for students who demonstrate exceptional abilities in one or more content areas. These programs are designed to provide enriched educational opportunities and challenges tailored to their unique needs. Our G&T curricula, approved by the Board of Education, offer accelerated learning and enrichment activities to support intellectually and academically advanced students. Services include acceptance-based programs, pull-out sessions, specialized courses, advanced classes, varied grouping strategies, and classroom differentiation, ensuring students receive instruction that matches their abilities.
Honors, Opportunity, Potential, Enrichment (H.O.P.E.)
 
The H.O.P.E. program fosters a challenging learning environment that promotes success through rigorous, age-appropriate instruction tailored to individual differences and diverse learning styles. Delivered by a team of dedicated teachers, the program focuses on students' academic, social, and emotional growth within a supportive school setting. H.O.P.E. teachers challenge all students by offering a robust curriculum, hands-on and project-based learning, teacher-created and district-wide assessments, and the necessary support to meet the high academic standards set by the state Department of Education. Active involvement from parents, teachers, and community members is critical to the program’s success.
Beginning in third grade and continuing through eighth grade, students are selected for H.O.P.E. classes through a competitive ranking process. The curricula align with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS) but are enriched using an innovative, interdisciplinary, and project-based instructional approach to engage and inspire students.
The Accelerated and Enrichment Program (AEP)
 
The Acceleration and Enrichment Program (AEP), is a district-wide, application-based program for students seeking an accelerated and enriched academic experience.  Any fifth and sixth-grade student residing in Jersey City from public, private, and charter schools is eligible to apply. Once accepted, students embark on a three-year middle school journey, including a rigorous instructional program that addresses students' academic, social, and emotional development in a supportive atmosphere. AEP students learn in an interdisciplinary, multicultural, and project-based environment to foster educational excellence and personal growth.
6-8 Curriculum
 
AEP offers a fast-paced, innovative, and interdisciplinary curricula for sixth, seventh, and eighth-graders. The program delivers intense enrichment and acceleration across all content areas. By eighth grade, students are well-prepared for advanced coursework and the program provides opportunities for students to enroll in accelerated and advanced placement classes in high school. 
AEP Admissions Process
 
  • District school counselors and principals, as well as representatives of non-public, private, and charter schools, are invited to an informational session in which the application process is reviewed in detail.
  • The AEP application is available on the district website (jcboe.org), and links to it are shared with school administrators.
  • The AEP Application is available to current eligible fifth and sixth-grade students who reside in Jersey City.
  • Once a completed application is submitted, students will be scheduled to take the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) as part of the admissions process.
    • Jersey City Public School students take the assessment in their school during school hours.
    • Students who attend private, parochial, and charter schools and homeschooled students will take the assessment on a designated Saturday.
  • The application process includes reviewing the completed application and assessing it by a committee comprised of district instructional staff and administrators based on established program criteria.
  • Letters are sent to the home notifying parents of their child’s status (acceptance, non-acceptance, waitlist).
  • Emails are sent notifying parents of their child’s status (acceptance, non-acceptance, waitlist).
  • Parent/Student Orientation is scheduled at both AEP sites, where information about each school and district is given. 
Student Opportunities:
 
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Dream Flags Event, 2024
Washington Middle School, Harrison 
Grade 4 H.O.P.E. Class
Jotham W. Wakeman School, PS #6 
 
Dream Flags Event (H.O.P.E. Grade 4)
Battle of the Books (AEP Grade 6)
Geography Bee (AEP Grades 6-8)
eMerge Initiative (Grade 5)
Invention Project STEM/PBL Projects (AEP Grades 6-8)
Young Women’s Conference in STEM, Princeton University (AEP Grades 6-8)
Estuary Explorers Field Trip, Meadowlands Environment Center (AEP Grade 6)
Go with the Flow: Plankton Adventures, Meadowlands Environment Center (AEP Grade 7)
Environmental Planning, Meadowlands Environment Center (AEP Grade 8)
New Jersey Association for Gifted Children Art, Music, Video and Writing Contests (H.O.P.E. Grades 3-8) 
District Approved Curriculum Resources